Actually I've never been aggressively approached by a panhandler anywhere. I have NEVER been aggressively approached by a panhandler on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill and I'm down there at least every other week or so and my spouse is there every day (works there). Stop this problem at the root by making a big deal about it with the law-makers as it will escalate into bigger issues & become mainstream. So dont spoil them rotten by giving away hard-earned money. India Beggars and Begging Scams: What You Should Know They make more money begging than they would in real jobs. The country where I grew up, the problem with beggars got so bad that they started operating like a mafia. I know some very respectable people who are on welfare because they lost their jobs, home but they are actively looking for other jobs & would never resort to begging from strangers on streets. They probably do (ab)use these programs & also harass hard working citizens for more money. My problem with them is my taxes are already being used for social welfare programs so go through proper channels for help. So jmellc is right about begging being easier than working. Maybe he was exaggerating a bit but I got the idea that the unemployment rate is low compared to other towns. I haven't looked into the actual jobless rates yet but I was talking to an owner of a hardware store & he was saying its difficult to find help for his store as everyone is employed in this area. As more professionals move to the area they contribute to economy that flourishes other businesses like restaurants, gas stations, construction, etc. RTP area is great as far as job growth is concerned, even if its mostly IT industry. Thats a great point about asking for their ID & offering to pay for them at the store. Both rarely turn anyone away and are fair game. I have known a few people personally that made a living going around to churches and food banks to beg. But a fair number have discovered that begging is easier than working. Yes, some of these folks are mentally ill. If someone is driving a car and has no ID, I will call the police and report an unlicensed driver. I now plan to ask for ID's too and see where that goes.
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